Program timer



0a. 16, 1945. w. KLAMP ET A; 2,386,956

' PROGRAM TIMER Filed March 27, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l /00 we /0/ /02 I03 I N V EN TORS JM 'W W. KLAMP AL.

PROGRAM TIMER Filed March 27, 1942 3'Sheets-Sheet 2 I III [N VEN TORS Oct 16, 1945. w. KLAMP EI'AL 2,386,956

PROGRAM TIMER Filed March 27, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TORS Patented Oct. 16, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROGRAM TIMER Application March 27, 1942, Serial No. 436,394

9 Claims.

Olir invention relates to ro ram timers, intended particularly for the automatic control of toy trains and accessories. The program timer is, however, suitable for other applications, where operating requirements resemble those in toy train systems.

The present invention has for its principal objects, first, to provide an apparatus that will automatically' control the operation of toy trains and accessories; second, to provide automatic synchronization of the tiainmovements'with the correctly timed operation of all accessories; third, to provide for the possibility of making a com plete change of the operating schedule Without a single change of the electric wiring; fourth, to provide a simple means for setting up any desired operating schedule of a continuously changing character, without repetition of uniform cycles; and fifth, to centralize the control of the train and accessories into one unit.

We attain these objects by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus; Figure' 2, at front View; Figure 3, a vertical section on the line 3=3 in Figure 1; and Figure 4, a wiring'diagram' showing the electrical connections between internal components of the apparatus, as well as between the terminals'of the apparatus and the toy train system.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. v

A motor I with a built-in gear reduction 2 is fastened to a case bottom 3' and enclosed in a case 4. Both, case bottom and case, are preferably made of moulded plastics and are held together by four screws. The slow speed shaft extension 5 of said geared motor turns counter clockwise at a speed of about one to three revolutions per minute and extends through a hole 6 in the front of said case and fits into the central bore 1 of a reel shaft 8 on the rear end of which a collar 9 is pressed. A set screw H! ex' tends through said collar and through the wall of the reel shaft 8 to engage a fiat I I on the gear motor shaft extension 5. A reel [2, made of wood or sheet metal, is placed on reel shaft 8 and secured in place by means of a knob l3, so that it will revolve slowly when the motor runs.

The rear end of said reel is provided with a closely in bores l9 and of case 4, said bores serving as bearings. A piri 2| is driven into said shaft and fits into a groove cut in a washer 22-,

so as to cause this washer to turn with said shaft when the latter revolves. The rear end of shaft i5 is threaded to receive a cap 23 which encloses a helical compression spring 24 and is provided witha slot 25 to engage a pin 25, driven into the periphery of a,- was'he'r 21, thus forcing said washer to turn when shaft I5 and washer 22 revolve, and also causing said washers to be pressed against the wall of case 4, in order to provide a predetermined friction,- so as to prodime a slight tension in a perforated timing band 28 of thin insulating material such as paper or vellum, which is wound up on reel I2 and unwound fromreel 14 when motor I is running, as indicated in Figure 2;

said timing band fits exactly between flanges 23- and 30 of reel l2 arid between flanges 3| and 32 0f reel l4, While the ends of the timing band are held in radial slots 33 and 34 in the reels [2- and M, respectively. Between said reels, the timing band 28 is placed over two copper sleeves 35 and 36 which have downwardly extending flanges 31 that are pulled together by screws 38 which serve as terminals for the electrical wires 39 and 40 and also are holdin said copper sleeves tightly on a metal rod 41, while an insulation is placed between each of said sleeves and rod M;- The adjoining ends of sleeves 35 and 38 are separated far enough to keep them insulated from each other. The metal rod 4! is placed through a hol 42 in the frontwall of case (and isscrewedtightly into a, tapped hole 43 in the-rear w'allof said case.

A series of copper contactors 44 to 4'! are riding' on the-timing band 28 Where the latter slides over'tlie'co'pper sleeves 35 and 36, said contacto'rs bein lmountedon brass rods la'which are placed iriholes 49 in a c'ontactor holder 50, consisting o'fa rod of insulating material, and are held in place by means of set screws 5| which extend out of said contactor holder to form terminals for wires 52 which are held between washers 53 and thumb screws 56'. These terminals are arranged alternately upwards and downwards, in order to provide more space for making the'wire connections. Three of these wire leads connect to the inside Of case passing through hole 55, while the two wires from the terminals on the copper sleeves- 35 and 36 also lead to the inside of case 4, passing through hole 56; The contactorholder 5U is supported'in two bored holes 51 and 58 in case 4' and is provided with a friction device 59 which is constructed similar to the friction device at the rear end of shaft I and is provided with a handle 60, by means of which the contactors 44 to 41 can be lifted off from the timing band 28, to permit removal of the latter, and can be pushed down again when a new band has been placed on thereels. The friction device 59 serves to hold the copper contactors to 41 against the timing band with a moderate pressure, so that the brass rods 48 will be bent slightly, thus causing all copper contactors to be bearing against sm'd timing band with equal pressure.

A series of parallel rows of perforations are punched in the timing band, so that each perforation will produce an electrical contact be tween one of the copper sleeves or 36' and one of the contactors 44 to. 41 when such perforation passes under such contactor. Besides the motor I with gear reduction unit 2, there are three magnetic switches 6I, 62 and 63 mounted inside case 4, the first two, of which being alike and having onenormally open contact 64 and one normally closed contact 65, while switch 63 has one normally closed contact 66. A cross section through switch 62 is shown in Figure 3. The current for coil 61 is supplied through wires 68, terminals 69 and wires 10. When the switch is energized, current from wire 1I will flow through terminal 12, screw 13, contact holder 14,

contact points 64, flexible wire 15, screw 16 and terminal 11 to wire 18. The movable contact point is mounted in a strip of insulating material 19' whichis fastened to the swinging cross bar 80, made of soft steel. When the magnet is deenergized, current from wire 8I flows through terminal 82 which is formed by two nuts that serve to hold the soft steel magnet core 63 in place, and from there through said core to a thin brass strip 84, screws 85, swinging bar 80, contacts 65, contact holder 86, screw 81 and terminal 88 to wire 89. A nut 90 serves to hold two soft steel pole pieces tightlyagainst the coil and holds the magnet in the desired position when nuts 82 are tightened. Magnet switch 63 is of the same construction, except that the normally open contact parts are omitted.

Six terminals 9I to 96 at the left sideof case bottom 3 serve to connect the components located inside the case 4 with the transformer which furnishes power for the train system, as well as with a master switch 91 and a small dry cell or an eliminator 98 shown in Figure 4. The power for the motor I is obtainedlthrough a twowire cord 99, the end of which carries a standard connector that is plugged into a receptacle. Said cord extends into the space under the case bottom, through a hole I00. One lead [M is connected to a terminal I02 which connects to the motor through wire I03. The other lead I04 of the cord connects to the magnetic switch 62 in the case. The second wire I05 from the motor connects to a terminal I06 and from there to the same switch-62 through wire I01.

Referring to the wire diagram shown in Figure l, the-copper sleeve 35 is connected to one of the secondary terminals of the transformer I08 by wires 39 and H1, 50 that current-flows to one of the contactors 41 whenever one of the perforations in the slowly moving band 28 passes under such contactor, thus carryingpower to one terminal of one of the'accessories of the train system which are indicated by the rectangles I09, through one of the corresponding brass rods 48, terminals 5d and wires 52, The second terminal of each of these accessories is connected directly to the other secondary terminal of said transformer through wires H8 and H9. In this manner, as man accessories can be controlled directly by the program timer as contactors 41 are provided.

The train movements are primarily controlled by switch 63 and contactor 49. The latter receives current from the plus pole of dry cell 98 (which is connected to the rear copper sleeve 36 by wires I20 and if a hole in band 28 passes under said contactor, thereby carrying current to the coil of magnet 63 through wires I2I and I22 and from there back to the minus pole of said dry cell through wires I23, I24 and I25, thus energizing said magnet coil. The normall closed contact 66 which permits the transformer ourrent to flow to one of the rails of train tracks IIEI through wires II1, I26, I21, I28 and I29, and from there to the engine motor and back to the transformer through the other current carrying rail I30 and wires |3I and H9, will thus be broken, so that the train will stop, provided that the normally open contact 94 of switch 52 is not closed. A resistor III is connected in shunt with each of the coils of the magnetic switches 6|, 62 and 63 and serves to prevent sparking when the current to the coils is interrupted. Said resistors have a resistance several times as great as that of the corresponding coils and, therefore, will consume but a small amount of current.

With the described arrangement and action of contactors 56 and 41, the train motions, as well as the operation of all accessories, can be controlled. But, further steps must be taken to keep train and accessories in synchronism, so that, for instance, no track switch is thrown while the train is passing over it. It is also necessary to time the operation of crossing gates, signals, uncouplers and other accessories in correct relation to the corresponding train positions.

' For this reason, provision has been made to interrupt the motion of the timing band 28 frequently by an action of the program timer and start it in motion each time again by a master switch 91 or one of two master switches 91 which is operated by the passing train. This way, both, the train and the perforated band 28, are in a predetermined position whenever said band is started in motion by the train as the latter operates a master switch while passing by,

Hence, the program timer which may slightly fall on? step with the moving train, due to speed variations of timer and train, is brought back into synchronism at short intervals of time.

The interruptions of the motion of the timing band 28 are produced by the contactor 55 whenever a perforation in said timing band moves'u'nder said contactor, thereb energizing magnetic switch 62, since current will now flow from the plus pole of the dry cell 98to copper sleeve 36 through wires I20 and .40 and to contactor 45, and through the brass rod holding said contactor, to the terminal at the left end of said brassrod and then to the coil of switch 62 through wire I32 and the right hand wire 66, and from there back to the minus pole of said dry cell, through the left hand wire 38,.wire I33, the normally closed contact 65 of magnetic switch 6i and wires I34 and I25. As the coil of switch 62 is energized, the normally closed contact 65 of said switch is opened, so that the current which was passing through wire IOI, terminal I02 and wire I03 to motor I and back through wire I05, terminal I05, wire I61, contactor 65 and wire I04,

is interrupted, thus stopping the motion of timing band. 28. Due to the very slow motion of the latter, it comes to a stop before the perforation under contactor 45 has passed said contactor, thus keeping the coil of switch 62 energized until a suitable lug fastened to the engine, closes one of the master switches 91 in passing. This will make current flow from the plus pole of dry cell 98 to. said master switch and from there through the coil of magnetic switch 6| through wires I36, I31 and. I38 and through wires I39. and I49 a resistor H2 and wires MI and I25. to the minuspole of said dry cell. If two master switches are used, they are connected. by wires I42. and I43. so that either one, if closed by the train, will complete the described circuit. The result is that the coil of switch Si is energized. and. contact 65 is broken, thus interrupting the flow or current to the coil of switch, 62, so that contact 65' of switch 62 is closed again which. will cause the timer motor I and the timing band 28 to resume their. motions.

When switch 6 I is energized by one of the master switches 91,, the other contact-(54) of said switch Si. is closed; This will keep the latter switch Ell, wires I45, I37. and I38, and through the coil of said switch, and from there through wires; I39 and I45, resistor II21and wires I 4| and I25 to the minus pole of said dry cell. But, in order to enable contactor 45' to stop the timer motor again. when the next. perforation moves under said contactor, it is necessary that contact $5 of switch FBI is closed first. This, however, should not takeplace until the previous; perforation has passed. contactor 45, sov as not to stop the timer motor at this time. For this reason, a contactor 44 is arranged in line with contactor 45, so that said previous perforation, after passing the latter, will move past contactor 44. This will connect the upper terminal H3 of resistor H2 through wire I46, contactor 44, sleeve and wires 43 and I212, with the plus pole of dry cell 98, while the latter also is connected with wire joint II4 through wires I20 and I44 contact 64 of switch 6| and wire I45, s that the two wires I37 and I40 leading to the coil of said switch 6| will show no differencein voltage, thus causing said coil to be tie-energized, thereby breaking contact 64 and closing contact :25 of switch 6i. As long as contactor 44 makes contact with copper sleeve 36through a moving perforation, resistor H2 is interposed between the plus and minus pole of dry cell 98, thus preventing a short circuit during such period which otherwise'would occur by connecting the plus pole with the minus pole through wires I20, 40, sleeve 36, contactor 44- and Wires I46, MI and I25.

Since it is desirable at timesto control the stopping position of the train accurately, masterswitches 91 can be used for this purpose as described in the following. The normally open contact 64 of switch 62 will be closed whenever contactor 45 energizes said switoh which is used for stopping the timer motor by breaking contact E5 or" said switch 62. Therefore, whenever the timer'motor is. stopped, the trainis kept running through contact 64 of said switch with the current passingflom the transformer through wires: IITI, I25, TI, contactor 64, wires l8 and 129,.rail IIO, engine motor, rail I30 and wires Bland. IIS. back. tothe transformer, even if contact 66 of switch 63 is broken. When the leading edge of an elongated perforation IIii in timing band 28 is in line with a perforation IIS and both perforations are approaching contactors 46 and 45, respectively, the latter contactor, being slightly advanced towards the direction from which timing band 28 approaches, will make contact first and stop said timing band andv also close contact 64 of switch E2. However, the. advance of. contactor 45. with relation to contactor 46 is still less than the small amount of coasting or said timing band, so. that. it will not come to a stop until the elongated. perforation H5 has reached contactor 46, thus energizing switch 63 and breaking contact 66. Contact 64 of switch 62 will keep the train. in motion now, until the engine closes one of the master switches 91, thereby energizing switch 6.! breaking contact 65 of said switch, de-energizing switch 62. and, thus, breaking contact 64 of the latter and stopping the fiow of current to the train tracks. But, at the same time, contact 65 of. switch 62 is closed, so that the timing band will resume its motion and make it possible to start the train again. a

In this manner, the engine can be stopped as it closes one of the master switches 91, if the timing band perforations are arranged. accordingly. Since the coasting distance of the train, after the engine has caused the current flow to the tracks to stop, varies somewhat with the speed of the engine and the number of cars attached, this procedure still will not produce a sufiiciently accurate stop for some requirements. In this case, the timing band perforations can be arranged to have the engine engage a master switch 91 and coast to a stop as described, and then back up and engagesaid master switch again and stop the flow of current to the tracks a second time. This time the train will come to an almost dead stop as soon as said master switch is engaged, due to the fact that the engine has not travelled far enough to gather any appreciable speed. Such a control of the stop is very realistic, resembling the accu rate stopping of the train by means of manual control, where the train is liable to overrun the required stopping position and must be backed upa short distance.

In case that more than one accurate stop position on the track system is desired, the two master switches 91 can be placed at the proper points. Normally, both of these will then perform their primary function of keeping timing band and train synchronized. Only when an accurate stop is needed, will said switches serve in their second function of controlling such stop in the described manner.

The timing band is perforated with the aid of a suitable punch board which guides the timing band and has a scale for measuring the needed advance of said timing band after punching one or several holes across the band. Said punch board is not shown on the drawings.

The program timer as described can also be used for the automatic control of the train whistle, by providing one of the whistle control units as they are in use at present, with a magnet which is connected with the program timer in the same manner as the accessories indicated by the rectangles I09 in Figure 4, so that the action of this magnet will replace the manual pushing of the whistle switch button.

The program timer as described can be changed over from automatic to manual control quickly, by removing the. timing band and raising the contactors 44 to 41 slightly above copper sleeves 35 and 3B'with handle 60. Now said contactors can be pushed down, one at a time, by means of an insulated rod held between the fingers. Said rod is notched at the bottom, so as to engageone of brass rods 48 near to its right end.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in manyv forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, and we wish it to be understood that the particular form is but one of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, we do not otherwise limit ourselves in any respect thereto.

What we claim is: 1

1. A-program timer for the automatic control of an electrically controlled apparatus comprising a moving timing element, means for moving said timing element, means for intermittently closing and opening a plurality of electrical contacts by said timing element when in motion, said contacts being adapted to control individually the operation of said apparatus,means for intermittently stopping the timing element, at variable time intervals by the action of one of said contacts, means for maintaining the operation of said apparatus during the time said timing element is stopped, and means for restarting the timing band by the action of said apparatus when the latter reaches a predetermined point of its operating schedule.

2. A program timer for the automatic control of an electricall controlled apparatus, comprising a moving timing band, means for moving said timing band, means for closing a plurality of electrical contacts through perforations in said timing band when in motion, said contacts being adapted to control individually the operation of said apparatus, means for intermittently stopping the timing band, at variable time intervals, by the action of one of said contacts, means for maintaining the operation of said apparatus during the time said timing band is stopped, and means for restarting the timing band by said action of the apparatus when the latter reaches a predetermined point of its operating schedule.

3. A program timer for the automatic control of a toy train and electrical accessories compris ing a moving timing band, means for moving said timing band, means for intermittently closing and opening a plurality of electrical contacts by said timing band when in motion, said contacts being adapted to control individually the operation of said toy train and electrical accessories, means for intermittently stopping the. timing band, at variable timeintervals by the action of one of said contacts, means for maintaining the operation of said train during the time said timing band is stopped, and means for restarting the timing band by the action of the toy train asit passes a predetermined point along the train tracks.

4. A program timer for the automatic control of a toy train system comprising a timing band, means for moving said timing band, means for intermittently closing and opening a plurality oi" electrical contacts by said timing band When in motion, said contacts being adapted to control individually the operation of a toy train and electrical accessories, means for intermittently stopping the timing band, at variable time intervals, by the action of one of said contacts, means for maintaining the operation of said train during the time said timing band is stopped, and means for restarting the timing band by the action of the toy'train as it passes a predetermined point along the train tracks, said timing band being adapted to produce different sequences of said electrical contacts during successive periods of motion of the program timer.

5. A program timer for the automatic control of an electrically controlled apparatus, comprising a moving timing band, means for moving said timing band, means for intermittently closing and opening a plurality of electrical contacts, said contacts being closed through perforations in the timing band'and being arranged in 'a number of parallel rows disposed in the direction of motion of said timing band, said contacts being opened again when said perforations are moved past said contact means, said contacts being adapted to control the operation of said apparatus, means for intermittently stopping the timing band, at variable time intervals, by the action of an additional electrical contact, said additional contact being closed through additional perforations in said timing band, each time one of said additional perforations in the moving timing band moves up to said additional contact, said additional perforations being arranged in a row parallel to the first mentioned rows of perforations and means for restarting the timing band by the action of the apparatus which is controlled by the program timer when said apparatus reaches a predetermined point of its operating schedule.

6. A program timer for the automatic control of a toy train and electrical accessories, comprising a moving timing band, means for moving said timing band, means for intermittently closing and opening a plurality of electrical contacts by said timing band when in motion, means for intermittently stopping the timing band, at variable time intervals, by the action of one of said contacts, means for maintaining the operation of said train during the time said timing band is stopped, and means for restarting the timing band by the action of the toy train as it passes any one of a plurality of predetermined points along the train tracks, said timing band being adapted to produce different sequences of said electrical contacts during successive periods of motion of the program timer, said periods of motion being normally of short duration, but, occasionally, of widely variable longer duration.

7. A program timer for the automatic control of a toy train and its accessories, comprising a motor and gear reduction unit, a reel driven by saidmotor and mounted on an extension of the slow speed shaft of said gear reduction unit, a timing band of thin, flexible insulating material, said timing band adapted to be wound up on said reel when the latter is in motion, an idler reel from which the timing band unwinds when said first mentioned reel is rotating, an idler reel shaft holding said idler reel in place, a friction device attached to said idler reel shaft and adapted to maintain a light tension in the timing band, two current carrying copper sleeves over which the timing band slides when in motion, said copper sleeves being mounted in line with each other and with their axes disposed at right angles to the direction of motion of the timing band, the first of said copper sleeves being connected to a source of low voltage alternating current and being insulated from the second of said copper sleeves, the latter being connected to a source of low voltage direct current, a series of alternating current contactors pressing on top of the timing band and disposed so as to make electrical contacts with the first copper sleeve when suitable perforations in the timing band are passing under said contactors, and three direct current contactors, also pressing on top of the timing band and disposed so as to make electrical contacts with the second copper sleeve when other suitable perforations in the timing band are passing under said contactors with each of said alternating current contactors being adapted to close a circuit through any perforation in one row of perforations in the timing band and, thereby, control the operation of one of said accessories, and with said three direct current contactors consisting of a train control contactor adapted to close a circuit through any perforation in one row of perforations in the timing band and, thereby, control the stopping and starting of the toy train, by means of a magnetic switch, a timer control contactor adapted to close a circuit through any perforation in an additional row of perforations in the timing band and, thereby stop the motion of the timing band, by means of a second magnetic switch, the perforations in said additional row of perforations being unevenly spaced and, therefore, being adapted to stop the motion of the timing band at variable time intervals by the timer control contactor, said timer control contactor being adapted to close an auxiliary circuit supplying current to the train tracks, by means of said second magnetic switch and, therefore, being adapted to maintain the operation of said train during the time said timing band is stopped, a master switch located beside the train tracks and adapted to close a contact when said train passes by, thereby energizing a third magnetic switch and, thereby, breaking the circuit which was closed by said timer control contactor, thus causing the timing band to resume its motion, and a reset contactor adapted to close a circuit through any perforation in said additional row of perforations, thereby de-energizing said third magnetic switch again and, thereby, enabling said timer control contactor to be operative again.

8. A program timer for the automatic control of a toy train and its accessories as claimed in claim 7, comprising means for quickly converting said program timer into a manually operated remote control unit for the centralized control of the toy train and all accessories.

9. A program timer for the automatic control of an electrical toy train and accessories, comprising a, moving timing band, means for moving said timing band, means for intermittently stopping the timing band at variable time intervals by the action of an electrical contact which is closed by the timing band, means for restarting the timing band by a master switch, located beside the train tracks and actuated by the passing train, contact means for closing and opening a plurality of electrical contacts by said timing band when in motion, said contacts being adapted to control individuall the operation of said electrical toy train and accessories, said contact means being adapted to close and open said electrical contacts in any combination during each variable period of motion of the timing band, said master switch being adapted to either start the motion of the timing band while keeping the train in motion, or to start the motion of the timing band and, simultaneously, stop the motion of the train.

WILLIAM KLAMP. PAUL KLAMP. 

